From Peasant to Perfection
by Lynn-forever-01
Summary: Who would expect that the handsome, wealthy, high-class Sesshomaru Takahashi would spend time with a low class peasant girl? No one. That is why Rin strove to change herself and  become his equal. But even then, would Sesshomaru pay any attention to her?
1. When they were young

**Hello everyone! I often read a lot of Inuyasha fanfics (primarily ones with Sess & Rin, and occasionally Sess & Kagome). So after being inspired by tons of these stories, I decided to try to write one myself :D**

**I tried to incorporate a lot of the events that actually happened in Inuyasha, as you will see below :)**

**This is my first fanfiction ever, so I really hope you all enjoy it!**

**Lynn**

****Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!****

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><p><strong>Prologue<strong>

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><p>A young boy with bright golden eyes and silver hair glared at the group of street boys in front of him. They were the most feared people on the streets, and were often the cause of all troubles in the town. In other words, it was very dangerous being alone in an alley, even during the daytime, which was where this young boy was currently.<p>

He knew that they knew he was rich, as he was dressed in fine clothes. He knew they were after his wallet, but they didn't know that he was Sesshomaru Takahashi, the eldest son of the wealthiest and most powerful family in Japan. Otherwise, even they wouldn't mess with him, for fear of his very influential father that would get them into tons of trouble. Unfortunately, because they did not know, Sesshomaru was in a lot of trouble. Oh, how he loathed the lower class people. They were, in his opinion, greedy people that begged for money, and if it didn't work, resorted to stealing or robbing.

It was not smart of him to sneak away from his body guards though, but he wanted to prove that he was capable of defending himself, despite only being 10 years old. He was far too proud and stubborn to need body guards for protection, even at such a young age.

"Look at this," the leader of the gang, known as Naraku, jeered, stepping towards Sesshomaru. "A wealthy baby brat is all alone. What a pleasant surprise."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the insult. No one insulted him and got away with it. He knew the best thing to do in his situation would be to lie and say his body guards are nearby, but pride, once again, got into the way. "I'm more than capable of protecting myself without body guards. You, however, seem to have brought your group of _idiots_ here to pick a fight with someone several years younger than you. Peasants like you guys make me sick."

Naraku tried to grab Sesshomaru, but he quickly dodged and kicked him in the shin. He was not going to run, nor go down without a fight.

"Damn you," Naraku cursed.

The others came over and grabbed Sesshomaru, and in seconds, he was on the ground. Then they began beating him up, mercilessly.

"Cowards!" Sesshomaru yelled. "You won't get away with this!"

Naraku strolled towards him and punched him in the face. "Oh yes we will."

Angry, Sesshomaru saw his chance and grabbed Naraku's arm and tugged him to the ground. Then, using his slightly-longer-than-average nails, took a swipe at his face.

"You bastard! You son of a bitch!" Naraku screamed. "You're going to pay with your life!"

Taking hold of Sesshomaru's left arm, Naraku bent it as far back as he could. A pop was heard, followed by Sesshomaru's grunt of pain. He did not cry, nor even scream. Crying in _any_circumstance, to him, was for weaklings. Screaming and showing his pain was also a weakness. And he was not weak.

Naraku snickered and reached for his other arm. "You think this is bad? Wait till you see what else we'll do –"

At this precise moment, the police siren wailed from nearby.

"Run!" Naraku yelled, and the gang immediately took off, leaving Sesshomaru alone at last.

The police car passed by the alley and sped off. The police had, unknowingly, saved Sesshomaru's life. Sesshomaru was relieved. But where could he go? He couldn't go home in his condition, as he was bound to get a huge scolding, and then would be given triple the amount of body guards. His parents would think he was even weaker, and not allow him to have any freedom at all. His arm hurt so badly, but he had to leave the alley before Naraku and his gang came back.

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><p>Eight year old Rin Hayashi heard the police siren wailing, and saw the town's bad boys run out of an alley. When the police car rushed past, Rin, although naïve, realized the boys were clearly doing something bad. And, being the curious and kindhearted girl she was, decided to go into the alley to see if anyone was hurt. After all, her parents had always told her to help people out when they were in need.<p>

And no one was there. Rin did see a blood stains leading outside to the other side of the alley. Curious, she followed the trail of blood. It led into the forest that she often went to to gather wood for her family. Peeping from behind a tree, Rin saw a boy with silvery hair and an abnormal left shoulder lying down in a clearing. He was covered in bruises and blood. _He must be Naraku and his gang's newest victim_, Rin thought.

He was so cute, even though he was injured and tattered. Rin decided to help him in any way she could. However, being part of the lower class, she did not have any money to send him to a hospital, and if the hospital wanted her to pay the bill, she and her family would be ruined.

Rin took a step forward, and immediately the boy's eyes rested on her and glared. She flinched; his eyes were so hard and cold, yet so beautiful and golden, completely unlike her brown and expressive ones. He looked so intimidating that Rin knew he was part of the high class people, despite his battered appearance. She really wanted to help him.

Taking a gulp, Rin continued towards him.

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><p>"Peasant, you're here again," the boy scoffed, refusing to look at her. "Fifth time today."<p>

"You must be hungry," Rin said gently.

She had wrapped up his wounds as best as she could, something she was used to doing from a young age, as she had never gone to a hospital before. She didn't really mind his ungrateful attitude, as she was used to it. Most people, aside from her parents, were rude to her, even those that were also in the lower class. But Rin's family was the lowest of the lowest. She had no friends, and was determined to make this boy her friend. She handed him the bento box she brought.

"I don't eat peasant food," the boy said, looking straight ahead. "Leave me alone. I do not need a peasant's help."

Rin sighed. Befriending him was harder than she thought.

Suddenly, the boy eyed her. Taking in her appearance, he asked, "Where did you get those bruises?"

Shocked, Rin remembered what she had gone through to get this bento box for him. She had snuck into a high-class area to steal something for the boy to eat, knowing he would never eat the type of foods she ate regularly. Seeing a restaurant, she darted in and grabbed three bento boxes and ran outside. The manager screamed and the two guards came out to chase her. Knowing she couldn't outrun the two, she hid one bento box near a garbage can and ran off with the other two. When the guards caught her, they confiscated the two bento box and gave her a harsh beating, swearing and yelling insults at her the entire time. But she didn't mind, because after the beating, she went back and retrieved the last bento box.

She gave the boy a huge smile, thinking he cared for her well-being. The boy looked taken aback, and instantly responded, "I don't care. I'm just curious."

Finally looking at the bento box, Rin knew that he knew she couldn't afford such food. But he didn't say a word about it. He was probably disgusted by the fact that Rin had stolen food; it certainly wasn't the first time, as there were times when her family couldn't afford food. He probably thought she often stole food from high class people, such as himself, but it wasn't true; this was the first time Rin had stolen from high class people. She usually stole cheap food. He probably hated her, and she was sad by that thought.

"What's your name?" the boy suddenly asked.

Rin's eyes widened. This boy was asking for her name; no one ever wanted to know who she was. Immediately, Rin blushed, thinking of her family's low social status. She didn't want to tell him her real name, because if they ever met in the future, Rin didn't want him to know him to remember her as a peasant girl. From that moment, she decided she was going to improve herself.

"I'm L-Lynn Hayashi," Rin lied and gulped. She was a good thief, but not a good liar. "What's your name?"

"Sesshomaru Takahashi," he replied smoothly, not commenting about her obvious lie.

Takahashi. The wealthiest and most powerful family in all of Japan. Everyone, even herself, knew of the family. She was very glad she had lied about her name.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Rin said, "Your parents must be very worried about you."

"Probably. However, I'm not a weakling. I can take care of myself," Sesshomaru responded.

"I-I saw the boys run out of the alley when the police car drove by. Why were they picking on you?" Rin asked curiously.

"None of your business," Sesshomaru snapped.

"Sesshomaru-sama, your arm has been dislocated. That must hurt a lot. Even though I often get injured, I've never had such a bad injury," Rin continued, unflustered. "Yet I've never seen you cry about it. I know I would cry non-stop for hours."

"Crying is for weaklings. I never cry, under any circumstance," Sesshomaru responded.

They were silent after this, with Rin thinking about Sesshomaru's words, her respect and admiration for Sesshomaru growing deeply.

The next time Rin came to visit Sesshomaru, he was already gone, leaving nothing but his last words for Rin to think about.

From then on, Rin never cried, even when her parents were brutally murdered a year later by the same boys that had previously hurt Sesshomaru. Not even when the landlord kicked her out of her tiny shack, nor when she became homeless. Luckily for her, she was placed into an orphanage, and then adopted by Higurashi family, from the higher class. They couldn't have a child, so they adopted her instead, although she did not know why.

Rin was determined to change and make herself Sesshomaru's equal, for he was the first person other than his parents, to actually _talk_ to her. Throughout the years living in the Higurashi family, Rin excelled in everything she did, and became known as the Mysterious Prodigy, as she had suddenly showed up from nowhere and began acing everything she tried. She closed herself off from the world, and became emotionless, never showing her pain and turmoil. No one knew who she was, except that she was a Higurashi, and no one could find out anything about her because she never spoke to anyone. She never spoke after her parents' death, until she met Sesshomaru again.

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><p><strong>Haha I just HAD to put my account name into my story :D Besides, Lynn rhymes with Rin.<strong>

**Anyways, please review so I know how I am doing. Suggestions and writing tips are very welcome! **


	2. They Meet Again

**Hello again! **

**I really can't believe I'm updating today, despite having 2 assignments due tomorrow, and 3 chapters of notes that I have to learn by the end of today O_O**

**Anyway, thanks everyone for your reviews! I really appreciate them!**

**So to clarify, there are no demons in this story. Rin is now 15 and Sess is 17.**

**I'm gonna try to incorporate as many of the actual scenes from Inuyasha as possible :D**

**Many thanks to Suena for your writing tips! :)**

**Please review!**

**Lynn**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!**

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><p><em>From then on, Rin never cried, even when her parents were brutally murdered a year later by the same boys that had previously hurt Sesshomaru. Not even when the landlord kicked her out of her tiny shack, nor when she became homeless. Luckily for her, she was placed into an orphanage, and then adopted by Higurashi family, from the higher class. They couldn't have a child, so they adopted her instead, although she did not know why.<em>

_Rin was determined to change and make herself Sesshomaru's equal. Throughout the years living in the Higurashi family, Rin excelled in everything she did, and became known as the Mysterious Prodigy, as she had suddenly shown up from nowhere and began acing everything she tried. She closed herself off from the world, and became emotionless, never showing her pain and turmoil. No one knew who she was, except that she was a Higurashi, and no one could find out anything about her because she never spoke to anyone. She had resigned herself to silence the night her parents had died, that is until the day would come that she would finally meet Sesshomaru once again._

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

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><p>Rin couldn't speak. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't utter a sound. And for that, her classmates always talked about her behind her back, and she had no friends. Because she did so well in whatever she tried, her fellow classmates were also extremely jealous of her.<p>

Rin had been adopted for 6 years now, and during these years, she and her new family had moved to another town. She attended a private school for rich kids and became number one in all of her classes. She was a quick learner, and studied like her life depended on it. She was also very musical and artistic, especially because these activities were not group activities, and she could easily zone out into her own little world. When she turned fifteen, her body underwent a huge transformation: she developed a very curvy figure and rounded breasts. She was very pretty, and combined with the fine clothes her foster parents provided her with, no one could recognize that this was the same naïve girl that once helped Sesshomaru. Her eyes, on the other hand, lost its usual sparkle and expressiveness, now being dull and lifeless. She had changed a lot.

One of the few things that hadn't changed was her respect and admiration for the boy that had given her a whole new view of life. She often wondered how he was doing, if his arm healed, and where he was. Although they had only known each other for a few hours, she missed him very much. Another thing that hadn't changed was her size. She was always small for her age, and now that she was fifteen, she was still small.

Socializing was the one that she was bad at, since she was basically mute. But Rin didn't mind. She didn't like her classmates much, especially because most of the rich kids were backstabbers that often betrayed their friends or classmates to get to the top. And Rin knew this from experience…

_It was back when Rin first entered the private school after she was adopted. She studied extra hard to catch up on everything she had missed back when she was poor, as she never had the money to afford school. Her new parents, of course, hired tutors for her, and combined with her natural brilliance, she caught up in no time. Her classmates, however, did not appreciate the fact that a new girl, who failed her first few tests, and was even mute, was suddenly scoring full marks in all her classes. _

_So they stole the final exam of all Rin's classes, and framed Rin by hiding it in her locker. Poor Rin couldn't speak to defend herself, and her teachers were far too impatient to _read_ her explanations. Also, seeing how she failed her first few tests, and then started acing the rest of the tests, they were suspicious. When they found a stack of tests in Rin's locker, they were sure Rin was the culprit. _

_The principal contacted Rin's parents, and after Rin's parents insisted that Rin would never do such a thing, the principal let her off with a warning. _

Rin opened an eye and looked up at the ceiling of her room. Her room was large and filled with decorations. She owned a closet filled with clothing, her own computer, and a queen-sized bed. Her present family was very kind to her; they gave her everything she wanted, and provided her with the finest education. The maids were also very nice to Rin. Rin was extremely grateful to her foster parents. However, she didn't get to see them much because they were always away on business trips. Yesterday, they just got back from another city in Japan.

"Rin," Mrs. Higurashi called from the kitchen. "Come down for a moment."

Rin got off from her bed and made her way to the kitchen.

"Your daddy and I were thinking of moving," Mrs. Higurashi said. "You know the city we just got back from? All the big companies are located there, and so there will be plenty of opportunities for us to merge our company with one of them. Of course, there will be a lot of competition for our company, but if they look in the long run, our company will be very successful because you will be inheriting it. You have many good ideas, and you've helped the company before, so we know you will do well."

Rin blinked. Going to a larger city with all the well known companies… wouldn't the Takahashi's company, the biggest company in Japan, be located there? Rin signed, "But I cannot speak. They will not think I'm capable."

"The doctors said there was nothing wrong with your vocal cords, so you will get your voice back one day," Mr. Higurashi said. "Maybe at first they won't think you're capable, but once you show them what you could do, they will know you're talented. What do you think, Rin?"

Rin signed, "Okay. Let's move."

Moving didn't matter to her; she had no friends to part from.

So within a month, the Higurashi's family moved to a new city.

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><p>Shikon Business High School, the school Rin was enrolled in, was the top school in the city. It primarily focused on teaching students business strategies, how to run running businesses, etc. All of the kids from the top companies attended this school, and this thought made Rin feel sick. She hoped that the students here weren't as fake as the students from her last school.<p>

Rin stood outside the principal's room and surveyed the hall way. It was definitely a much bigger school than her last one. Transferring to this school two weeks after the school began, not to mention transferring in grade 11, would certainly draw attention to herself, and Rin preferred to be unnoticed. Since she was so advanced in her studies, she had several grade 12 classes; she knew she was definitely going to stand out.

She reached for the doorknob, but the door opened by before she reached it. A boy with silvery hair stepped out. _Sesshomaru_, was all Rin could think as she stood gaping at the boy. Her heartbeat quickened, and for a few seconds, none of them spoke. Then, the boy opened his mouth.

"Hey shortie, did you get in trouble as well?" he said.

Before Rin could react, she heard a deep voice say, "Move Inuyasha." And immediately, another boy with silvery hair pushed his way through the door. He was extremely tall; Rin didn't even reach his shoulders. His eyes were impassive and face held no emotion. Despite this, he was extremely good looking. Rin felt intimidated by him. _This_ had to be Sesshomaru.

The first boy and Sesshomaru both said something, but Rin was too shocked at seeing Sesshomaru that she didn't hear what they said. Suddenly, she felt herself hitting the ground as Sesshomaru walked past.

"Are you deaf? I said you were in my way," was Sesshomaru's cold response.

For the first time in years, Rin felt tears well up in her eyes. This was not the way she wanted to meet Sesshomaru. Sure, she was indeed blocking his path, but did he have to shove her over?

"Sesshomaru, you bastard," the first boy, Inuyasha, yelled. "How could you treat this little girl that way?"

Sesshomaru turned around and eyed Rin impassively. Rin lowered her eyes and blinked away her tears. She was going to be just as emotionless as him. All this noise caused the principal to come out.

"What's going on here?" she asked.

"Sesshomaru just shoved this little girl over," Inuyasha tattled.

"I told her to move," was Sesshomaru's only response.

"Oh goodness Sesshomaru," the principal sighed. Then she turned to Rin, "You must be the new girl, Rin Higurashi, correct?"

Rin nodded.

"Let me see. You're in grade 11 and you're taking grade 12 calculus and vectors, business, and English. Sesshomaru has the same grade 12 classes as you," the principal smiled. "As your punishment, Sesshomaru, you are to show Rin around the school and to take care of her for a month. Help her fit in."

Sesshomaru's expression hardened and he turned to glare at Rin. For a second, it seemed like he was going to refuse, but he merely nodded.

Inuyasha snickered. "Okay, first of all, I can't believe you're actually in grade 11. You look younger than me, and I'm in grade 10. Or maybe it's just your height. Second of all, sensei you want _him_ to help her fit in? That girl will have tons of enemies within a week."

The principal shrugged, "Rin is your age Inuyasha. She skipped a grade. And why not Sesshomaru? He's the top in all his classes. Rin was the top in all of her classes in her previous school. I'm sure they'll get along eventually."

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><p>Rin followed Sesshomaru to class and sat down at the back next to him. She was excited and nervous, and just as desperate to befriend him as she was when she was 8.<p>

"You're in my seat," a female's voice snapped at Rin.

Rin looked at the female. She looked like one of the bitchy types, and acted like those backstabbers in her previous school.

"Sesshomaru, she's in my seat. Aren't you going to tell her to move?" the female said.

"Look Kagura, I have no interest in where you are sitting," Sesshomaru said.

Kagura glared at Rin, mumbling something about Rin regretting this.

Rin smiled brightly at Sesshomaru, her first smile in years. _Maybe he's already warming up to me_, she thought.

"Alright class, we have a new student," the teacher said. "Rin Higurashi, please come up front and introduce yourself."

Rin froze and panicked. She glanced at Sesshomaru for help, but he didn't look her way. Slowly, she rose from her seat and made her way to the front.

The entire class was waiting for her to introduction, and she blushed furiously. They didn't know she couldn't speak.

The teacher looked at Rin and urged her to continue. After a few seconds of silence, many students laughed.

"Go on Rin," the teacher said. "Are you mute or something?"

Rin nodded slowly and blushed again.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the teacher apologized, shocked. "Alright let's skip the introduction then."

The rest of the morning went smoothly, although Rin became a hot topic. Rin noticed many students pointing at her as she walked down the halls. Several times, she heard students say rude comments about her, but Rin didn't mind. She was used to it, after all.

When lunch time came, Rin followed Sesshomaru to his locker, and found a short little boy waiting there.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" the little boy squawked. "I heard so many rumours about the principal assigning you to take care of a little girl. Oh, it must be her."

Sesshomaru ignored him.

"Oh the principal is so unfair, making the great Sesshomaru take care of a stupid mute little girl," the boy continued as if Rin wasn't there. "It's not she can tell the principal that you ditched her –"

"Jaken," Sesshomaru interrupted. "Shut up."

Immediately the boy, Jaken, shut his mouth. Rin was amused.

"Where are we going for lunch?" asked Jaken, a minute later. "Will the little girl be joining us?"

Sesshomaru walked off, ignoring him. Rin and Jaken automatically followed.

They found a spot to eat in the park. Except, Rin realized, she didn't have a lunch. Her stomach growled, and she rubbed it, hoping Sesshomaru didn't hear. Rin couldn't help it; she felt very self conscious around him. But even if Sesshomaru heard, he ignored her.

Rin's last class was a grade 11 class, so she didn't see him afterwards. She waited for half an hour after school by his locker, but he didn't show up. Sadly, she realized she was nowhere close to befriending him. He didn't like her at all. All the students had gone home by now, so the school was deserted. Rin felt scared. _Snap out of it Rin_, she told herself, y_ou're not weak_. Because her new school was located close to her home, she didn't have a driver to drive her home.

Depressed, Rin headed towards her house. She was so lost in her thoughts that as she was passing through the alleyway, she didn't realize a gang of teenagers were blocking the other end. She only noticed when she standing directly in front of them. She eyed the gang, trying to keep her face as expressionless as possible. She noticed that Kagura was one of the gang members, but that wasn't what shocked her the most. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw the leader of the gang: Naraku.

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><p><strong>I hope you all review :D<strong>


	3. Saving Rin

**Hi!**

**I'm updating so quickly, WOOT! But I really do hope I get more reviews for my hard work... hahaha so not being greedy! :P**

**So, what do you guys think about me making Inuyasha fall in love with Rin? Don't worry, Rin won't like him back! It's just to make Sesshomaru feel a bit jealous :D**

**Lynn**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!**

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><p><em>Depressed, Rin headed towards her house. She was so lost in her thoughts that as she was passing through the alleyway, she didn't realize a gang of teenagers were blocking the other end. She only noticed when she standing directly in front of them. She eyed the gang, trying to keep her face as expressionless as possible. She noticed that Kagura was one of the gang members, but that wasn't what shocked her the most. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw the leader of the gang: Naraku.<em>

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

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><p>Rin wanted to run, but her feet were glued to the floor.<p>

"Kagura," Naraku smiled evilly. "Is she the one?"

Kagura nodded, "So Rin, we both know very well that you have no chance to be with Sesshomaru. However, I will not take any chances. My dear friends will taint you, so you'll never be worthy of Sesshomaru! Have fun now, I'm going to go home."

_Run Rin,_ Rin mentally scolded herself. _These people killed your parents_. She remembered the day very clearly.

_It was late at night. Rin had just been awakened by shouts and screams coming from outside her family's little shack. Suddenly her mother strolled in front of her and motioned for her to keep silent. _

_Her mother led her to a hay stack and pushed her in. "Hide yourself well Rin. Don't let them see you."_

"_What about you, mama?" Rin asked. "Where's daddy?"_

"_Hush now," her mother replied, avoiding Rin's question. Rin could see tears on her face as she said, "Do not make a sound."_

_Rin retreated into the hay stack. Peeping through a small hole she made, she saw Naraku's gang appear in front of her mother._

"_Why are you doing this?" Rin's mother screamed at him. "We don't have anything you want. We never did anything to you!"_

_Naraku smiled evilly and responded, "I'm doing this because I can. And I want to. Oh, and there is something I want."_

_Rin watched as he snatched her mother's necklace from her neck, it was the only valuable thing her family owned. It was also the only necklace of that type in the world; her mother often called it the Shikon Jewel. Rin didn't even get to hear her mother's response. All she heard was a _thud_ as her mother's body fell lifeless onto the ground._

"_Check to see if there are anyone else in here," Naraku ordered. _

_Feeling scared, Rin hid even deeper into the hay stack, all the while managing not to cry. From afar, she heard the sound of police sirens coming closer and closer._

"_Damn them!" Naraku cursed. "Let's go now!"_

_Rin was too scared to move from her position, even though the police had come. She heard the policemen talking about the huge massacre and how nobody that lived in the area survived. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted out of the stack._

"_No, we've found one survivor," a policeman said._

Naraku took a step towards Rin. "You are very pretty. Go ahead and scream for help." The rest of the gang laughed and surrounded Rin.

Rin couldn't do anything as she watched the gang close in on her. She hated herself for her weakness. _No Rin. You've tried so hard to meet Sesshomaru on equal grounds. You cannot let Naraku's gang, the murderers of your family and the ones that dislocated Sesshomaru's arm, have their way with you. Do not let them do what they want, _Rin thought desperately.

Remembering all the horrible things Naraku had done, Rin felt her blood boil. Taking a deep breath, she screamed the first thing that came to her mind, "Seeeesshomaaaaruuuu-samaaaaaa!"

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><p>After class ended, Sesshomaru forgot all about Rin. Jaken, his <em>friend<em> – well he wouldn't really call him a friend – and him left the school as soon as the bell rang.

While Jaken went on and on about his day, Sesshomaru was too absorbed in his own thoughts to listen, not that he ever listened anyway. He thought about the little girl named Lynn that had once tried so hard to befriend him without wanting anything in return. Most of the people that talked to him only talked to him because they knew he was rich. Lynn, on the other hand, willingly stole food for him, and got a beating for it. He was slightly touched and felt slightly guilty – only slightly – for leaving without saying goodbye to her.

A year later, Sesshomaru had returned to that town – giving no explanation to anyone – only to find that all the low class citizens that lived in Lynn's area were slaughtered by an unknown group of people, and that there was only one survivor. Sesshomaru had been annoyed at the policemen's incompetence – so many people were killed, yet they didn't even know who did it. Sesshomaru remembered that a year ago, he couldn't care less if peasants were killed. Now, he felt a tinge of sadness. But it didn't matter anymore; the girl was gone, he believed.

Sesshomaru didn't know why he was suddenly thinking about that incident. It happened six years ago.

"… I'll bet Rin is still at school waiting for you," Jaken gloated. "She must think that the almighty Sesshomaru-sama actually cares for her. I can't wait to see her miserable face red and puffy from crying all night! Oh I wonder if she'll follow us again tom –"

Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks. The guilt he once felt for leaving Lynn without saying a word came back to haunt him as he thought about how he had ditched Rin. This was the second time in his life that he felt guilty for his actions.

"W-what's wrong?" Jaken stammered. And as Sesshomaru started to turn back towards the school, Jaken screeched, "You're going back for the girl? Why, Sesshomaru-sama, would you ever do such a thing for someone like her?"

"Don't question my decision Jaken," was Sesshomaru's cool response. "And don't follow me."

Sesshomaru couldn't help but feel guilty because it was Rin's first day at school, and he knew that many girls hated her for sticking around with him all day long. He was slightly worried for her well-being. _I'm only doing this because the principal asked me to take care of her,_ was his excuse for himself, although deep down he knew he didn't have to.

Suddenly, he heard a girl's voice call his name frantically.

Normally, Sesshomaru would ignore a girl's pleads for his help. However, this was very unusual. Who could possibly be calling for him? Curiosity got the better of him.

Strolling inside, he spotted a very familiar group of people. Sesshomaru's blood boiled as he remembered that this was the same group that had hurt him when he was younger! It had hurt his pride so much. Well, that was when Sesshomaru was still young and weak. He wouldn't let them get away with insulting his pride. He could take easily defeat them single-handed now!

In the middle of the gang, Sesshomaru spotted Rin trying to pry their hands off her.

Sesshomaru said nothing as he stepped forward, making his presence known.

Rin immediately stopped struggling against the people holding her down, and said sweetly, "Sesshomaru-sama, you came."

The gang turned around to face Sesshomaru. "Well, well, well," Naraku grinned. "I remember you very clearly. Sesshomaru Takahashi, I didn't know who you were before, but now I know you. Your family owns the biggest company in all of Japan."

Sesshomaru responded, "If you know who I am, then you should know what my family is capable of doing."

"Of course," Naraku smirked. "Your family holds a lot of influence. You can get us all thrown into prison, even without a trial. I am very aware of that."

Sesshomaru listened but didn't respond.

"However, you underestimate me," Naraku bragged. "Since the last time we met, I have changed quite a bit. I'm currently the mafia leader. No one can capture me. For your information, my mafia and I murdered a whole area of low class citizens back at the town we met, and the police couldn't even trace us. I'm fairly certain that if we killed you today, we would be able to get away."

Sesshomaru knew how powerful the mafia was, and he knew, indeed, that it was difficult capturing the members of the mafia. They were quite good at hiding. However, he was confident that he could defeat these members.

"Very well, then," Sesshomaru responded. "We shall fight. Let the girl go."

"Very well," Naraku replied, grabbing Rin and pushing her towards Sesshomaru.

Rin stumbled over to Sesshomaru, extremely thankful that he came to save her, but also very worried for him at the moment.

"Leave," Sesshomaru ordered. "You'll only get in the way."

Taking a gulp, Rin knew it was true. She slowly backed out of the alley and waited nearby, praying that Sesshomaru would be well.

In less than ten minutes, Sesshomaru walked to her, unscathed. Rin couldn't believe her eyes.

"You're simply dashing, Sesshomaru-sama," she praised. "I hope you beat them up real good."

Sesshomaru nodded and headed home.

Rin ran after him, and taking a breath, she asked what was on her mind for a little while now. "Did you come back just for me? I mean, you left early, didn't you? Why were you heading back to the school?"

Sesshomaru glanced at her, "I was simply getting revenge for something they did to me 6 years ago."

Rin smiled. She knew better. "Thank you for saving me Sesshomaru-sama."

Sesshomaru didn't respond, so Rin continued. "Those people are truly frightening. I know them from…" her voice trailed off. She almost gave herself away.

Sesshomaru looked at her, curious, but Rin shook her head and changed the topic. "I've had a wonderful first day of school. I'm really happy that I got my voice back, you know. It's been so long since I spoke that I forgot how fun talking is."

As he listened to Rin ramble, he thought to himself,_ I've got to keep a closer watch on Rin now. It's obvious that someone in our school has connections with the mafia, and this person is out to get Rin._

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><p><strong>I would really appreciate it if I got more reviews. So please review everyone! :)<strong>


	4. The Party

**Hey everyone!**

**I hope you haven't forgotten about my story :)**

**Very pleased to say that I've got a beta reader now, DivineRose91 :D If you haven't already read her stories yet, then GO READ THEM! Especially her stories about the forbidden love between Rin and Sess are very, very sweet!**

**Anyways, I just want to say that I have NO IDEA how business parties really work, so I made it up completely LOL**

**Hope you all enjoy! And please REVIEW!**

**Lynn**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!**

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><p>As he listened to Rin ramble, he thought to himself, <em>I've got to keep a closer watch on Rin now. It's obvious that someone in our school has connections with the mafia, and this person is out to get Rin.<em>

Chapter 3

Rin had thought that after the incident with Naraku, Sesshomaru would pay more attention to her. Unfortunately, Sesshomaru did no such thing. When the teachers and students found out Rin was no longer mute, there were many rumours about how Rin faked her silence in order to approach Sesshomaru. Nonetheless, Rin ignored the rumours and continued to stay by his side; she continued to follow him like a shadow, even though he rarely spoke to her.

Rin was very talkative. Many times Jaken had to tell her to shut up, or pray that Rin would go back to being mute. Rin reverted to her original cheerful and naïve self. She knew that Jaken was greatly opposed to her hanging out with him and Sesshomaru, but as long as Sesshomaru didn't mind, she was fine with Jaken's rudeness. Sesshomaru never told Rin to leave or stop talking, like Jaken often did, although she never listened to Jaken. Rin only listened to Sesshomaru's orders. However, Rin knew that the only reason Sesshomaru didn't object to her presence was because of the principal's orders to take care of her for a month. From an outsider's point of view, it seemed as if Rin was getting along great with Sesshomaru, but from Rin's point of view, she knew that once a month passed, Sesshomaru would not allow her to spend so much time around him anymore.

The end of the month was quickly approaching. Rin became more and more desperate to attract Sesshomaru's attention. In the classes they had together, Rin would try to get his attention by answering literally every single question the teacher asked, to the point where it was only Rin and the teacher conversing. For this, she became known as the teacher's pet, but she didn't mind – as long as she got Sesshomaru's approval. Unfortunately, Sesshomaru was not at all impressed. So, Rin studied extra hard for tests in hopes of seeking Sesshomaru's approval. Those two always ended up scoring top marks, but once again, Sesshomaru paid no heed to her. Then, Rin decided to join as many clubs as possible. However, this ended up taking so much of her time that she couldn't see Sesshomaru as much as she liked. Eventually, Rin concluded that it was simply because she wasn't pretty or mature enough. She resorted to wearing makeup to cover the little flaws she had and to look more grown up, wore very nice and fashionable clothing, and always had her hair done neatly before leaving her house. She noticed that her change in appearance attracted a lot of unwanted attention from boys, but no response from Sesshomaru.

Rin also noticed that Kagura hadn't spoken to her since the last incident, and she wondered why. Even in class Kagura did not fight with her for the seat next to Sesshomaru. Rin was very glad but mildly suspicious – did Kagura have something major planned? Or was she actually giving up on Sesshomaru?

However, Rin did not spend much time analyzing Kagura's actions. She spent most of her time analyzing – at least trying to analyze – Sesshomaru's actions. Why, it was almost the end of the month, and Sesshomaru had yet to start a conversation with her.

Rin sighed and closed the book she was trying to read. It was Friday, meaning she wouldn't get to see Sesshomaru for 2 whole days!

"Rin, honey!" Mrs. Higurashi called. "Can you come here for a moment?"

Ever since they moved to this city, her parents hardly travelled. After all, there was no point travelling for business when all the big businesses were located here.

_Oh good. I need something to take my mind off him_, Rin thought as she ran downstairs.

"Hello mom," Rin greeted with a smile. Ever since Rin started speaking again, the household got extremely lively and cheerful. Her parents were very pleased with this.

"You don't have anything planned for the weekend, do you?" Mrs. Higurashi asked mysteriously.

Rin shook her head, confused.

"There is a party tomorrow at the Takahashi household, and all the big companies in the city are invited to go. We are also invited!" her mother said excitedly. "This is a wonderful opportunity for us!"

Rin frowned, upset that Sesshomaru didn't even mention it to her.

"Why do you seem upset about it, dear?" Mrs. Higurashi asked. "A lot of the kids from your school will be there as well. I can't wait to see the parents of your friends."

Rin sighed. She knew that her life was so centered on Sesshomaru that she didn't have any other friends – considering that Sesshomaru and Jaken were actually friends. In fact, she still didn't know half the people in her classes. _At least I'd get to see Sesshomaru there,_ Rin smiled at the thought.

"No, I'm very excited," Rin declared.

On Saturday morning, Rin got up extra early to pick out an outfit to wear for the party. She wanted something that was presentable to all the company owners at the party, but she also knew that she had a great body and wanted to reveal it. Rin ended up choosing a blue low cut V neck dress that covered her legs, and, when she wasn't careful, occasionally revealed a bit of her breasts. The dress hugged her body and made her curvy figure stand out. Next, she had her hair curled and put up in a half bun, and stuck a blue flower hair clip into her hair. _My mother's Shikon Jewel pendant would be perfect with this dress_, Rin thought, a little depressed. She chose a blue sapphire necklace instead. With a touch of makeup, Rin was simply elegant and stunning, and perhaps quite a bit enticing. She was pleased with herself, and determined to impress Sesshomaru.

The Takahashi's mansion was five times the size of Rin's home, and Rin's home wasn't small at all. There was a brick and iron fence surrounding the entire mansion. At the entrance of the Takahashi residence, there was a beautiful 2 door iron gate with two clear paths: one for vehicles, leading to the Takahashi parking lot, and the other leading to the mansion. On either side of the paths was a garden of flowers. Rin was baffled; it was shocking how rich they were.

When Rin went in the mansion, she noticed that the inside was much larger than it looked from the outside. It was already filled with guests. Rin didn't see Sesshomaru anywhere, but she spotted a few teenagers from her classes, all of them were with their parents. She desperately wanted to leave and find Sesshomaru, but her parents didn't let her go. She was forced to spend the next two hours talking to the children of the numerous company owners that her parents introduced her to. This was the usual routine of business parties: while the parents got acquainted with each other, their children got acquainted with the children of the parent's acquaintance. This was also Rin's first time attending a business party.

"Rin, let us introduce you to the Suzuki family," Mr. Higurashi said.

The Suzuki's had a son that was in one of Rin's grade 12 classes. He was one of the boys that tried to hit on Rin, and once even asked if she would bear his child.

"Oh Rin," the son, Miroku, flirted. "It is always such a pleasure to see you. You look absolutely stunning and gorgeous.

As the parents chatted, Rin was forced to chat with Miroku, whom, in the middle of conversation, had reached over to grope her bottom. Luckily, a girl came in and stopped him just in time. Rin learned that the girl, Sango, was part of the Nakamura family. Sango had a younger brother, Kohaku, whom was in grade 11.

Rin was next forced to talk to Kohaku, and found out that they were in the same grade 11 class. She actually enjoyed his company and looked forward to seeing him in class.

After numerous introductions, the Higurashi's finally bumped into the Takahashi's. Since the children had to talk to each other, Sesshomaru would have to converse with Rin. However, she was disappointed when she saw Inuyasha with them instead. Sesshomaru was nowhere in sight.

"This must be Rin," Sesshomaru's father, Taisho, smiled. He looked very much like Sesshomaru, with the same unique hair colour and eyes, except he looked older and more cheerful. However, as cheerful as he looked, Rin knew he was a very powerful and respectable man. She felt intimidated.

"I've heard a lot about you."

Rin's eyes widened and she blushed. Did this mean Sesshomaru talked about her?

The woman next to Taisho smiled. She had incredibly long hair and was very beautiful. Rin knew she was Sesshomaru's stepmother and Inuyasha's real mother, Izayoi. "Inuyasha told us a lot about you. You are one of the top students in all your classes, skipped a grade, have a lot of grade 12 courses, and were mute until meeting Sesshomaru. Wow, you must have been through a lot."

Rin laughed nervously, the comment of her muteness worrying her. "Yes it's all true. I… um… wasn't born mute. I went through something very devastating, and I just couldn't talk for a long time afterwards."

"And Sesshomaru helped fix this? The same jerk that pushed you down on your first day of school?" Inuyasha laughed.

"Inuyasha, don't say that about your brother," Izayoi snapped while smiling at Rin.

"Half-brother," Inuyasha corrected under his breath.

"We're very sorry about that Rin," Taisho apologized. "Sesshomaru can be very cold towards people sometimes. We apologize for his behaviour on his behalf."

"Sometimes? You mean all the time," Inuyasha mumbled.

"Oh no," Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "Sesshomaru must be a perfect gentleman since he was the one that helped Rin speak again."

Rin couldn't hold in her curiosity. She blurted, "Where is Sesshomaru-sama now?"

Taisho raised an eyebrow when Rin added the "sama" to Sesshomaru, but he chose not to comment on it. He replied, "In his room studying. He hardly participates in events like this. I believe it's because he doesn't want to meet his fiancé Kagura, the daughter of the Kihara's."

Rin gasped, very shocked at what she heard.

"Sesshomaru-sama is engaged?" Rin said weakly.

"Our families are very close friends, and they've known each other since they were born. And they've been engaged to each other even before they were born, especially since it would benefit our families and companies. Besides, Kagura has been like a daughter to us," Taisho responded neutrally, watching Rin.

Rin's heart fell. The Kihara's were a very wealthy and powerful family, several times wealthier than her own. Their company was among the top companies in Japan. All this time she had been pining for someone that was long taken!

Rin, with her last bit of courage, blurted, "If Sesshomaru-sama is avoiding Kagura, it shows that he does not want to marry her. He doesn't love her a single bit and I know this by the way he treats her in class."

Taisho sighed, "You are relatively new to this city, so you wouldn't know much about Sesshomaru. My son would pick power and wealth over _love_ any day. Sesshomaru believes that loving someone is a weakness, despite all our persuasions, so he would never marry for love. He would only marry someone if it benefited him financially, and Kagura is the best choice."

Inuyasha snickered, "Yes. Sesshomaru despises all emotions that, and I quote, 'would make him weak.' And he is extremely stubborn with his beliefs."

"I'm sure Sesshomaru knows what he's doing," Mr. Higurashi replied, although he, too, was shocked by what he just heard.

Rin couldn't take anymore. Tears welled up in her eyes, and before she cried, she quickly excused herself.

Taisho watched Rin leave with an amused look. No, he wasn't a cruel parent that encouraged his son to marry without love. He, in fact, had married his second wife out of love after his first wife died, despite the fact that Izayoi was a low-class citizen. He had tried to make Sesshomaru fall in love many times but to no avail; Sesshomaru insisted on carrying out the arranged marriage, despite disliking Kagura, because it was a major benefit to the company, especially since Sesshomaru was going to take over it later on. Although the Kihara's were Taisho's longtime friends, he knew that the Kihara's were also the type to do anything to get to the top, so their daughter marrying the heir to the Takahashi's company was the perfect option.

Truth be told, Taisho did not particularly like Kagura – she wasn't capable or dependable when it came to business deals and decisions – Rin was far more capable than she was. Kagura dressed like a slut, which would ruin their reputation. Moreover, Kagura did not love Sesshomaru. Sure, she claimed to love him, and tried to be with him all the time, but deep down, her love was shallow. It was nothing compared to what Rin felt towards Sesshomaru. Since the moment Rin called him Sesshomaru-_sama_, Taisho kept a keen eye on her reactions. Taisho noticed her sadness and pain when he told her that Sesshomaru was engaged; her eyes expressed her innocent and real love towards Sesshomaru. And Taisho was touched.

_Perhaps,_Taisho thought, _Rin Higurashi may be the one to teach Sesshomaru love_. He made a mental note to do a background check on Rin and the Higurashis.

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><p>Rin was very depressed. <em>No, Sesshomaru-sama cannot possibly be engaged<em>! Rin thought desperately. _He doesn't love Kagura._

But Rin knew that Taisho was right; Sesshomaru would never marry out of love. She felt like a fool for pining after him for so long.

Confused, angry, and sad all at the same time, Rin stomped upstairs to the top floor and headed to the furthest room. She needed to be alone to think and process everything that happened. She let her tears flow freely as she entered the room.

"What are you doing here?" a cold voice demanded.

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><p><strong>Hope y'all review! And maybe I'll post the next chapter quicker :)<strong>


	5. Heartbroken

**Hi everyone!**

**Just wanna say thank you for all the reviews! I truly appreciate them :)**

**Um, and I apologize in advance for hurting Rin in this chapter. I'll make it up to you next chap hehe :)**

**Lynn**

**P.S. I'm very proud to say that I started a new story yesterday LOL :) it's called Orphanage, and I'll really appreciate it if you can all support me on it :D I won't update it until I'm done this story though.**

**P.P.S. Review please? :D**

**P.P.P.S. Hope you all enjoy! :)  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha!**

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><p><em>Confused, angry, and sad all at the same time, Rin stomped upstairs to the top floor and headed to the furthest room. She needed to be alone to think and process everything that happened. She let her tears flow freely as she entered the room.<em>

"_What are you doing here?" a cold voice demanded._

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><p>Chapter 4<p>

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><p>"Se-Sesshomaru-sama," Rin stuttered, looking up at Sesshomaru with teary eyes. "Sorry, Rin didn't know you were in here."<p>

Rin always spoke in third person when she was sad and crying.

Sesshomaru studied Rin for a little while, and then repeated, "I'm only going to ask this once more. What are you doing here?"

"R-Rin wanted to get away from everyone downstairs. These parties don't suit Rin very much. Rin… Rin wanted to get some peace and quiet," Rin struggled to answer. "May Rin stay here for a while?"

Sesshomaru didn't respond, so Rin took that as a yes.

Rin forced herself to stop crying. After a few moments of silence, she mustered up the courage and asked, "Sesshomaru-sama, is it true that you are engaged to Kagura?"

Sesshomaru glanced at Rin and replied casually, "Yes. So what?"

"But you don't even like Kagura. Why would you agree to marry her?" Rin demanded.

"This is not your concern," Sesshomaru responded coolly. However, he then chose to answer Rin. "It benefits both our families and companies. Did you really think that I would marry for a silly thing like love? Foolish emotions like love and affection are meant for weaklings. I, Sesshomaru, care for no one."

Sesshomaru's comment tore Rin's heart and made her angry. "How would you know? You've never been in love before, so what makes you think such emotions are silly?"

Sesshomaru looked at Rin and didn't respond for a long time. Just when Rin was about to question him again, Sesshomaru confessed softly, "I've lost someone of great importance to me when I was young. I felt very guilty, as if it was my fault that she was gone. I could have anything in the world, I could do anything I want, but yet I failed to protect her. The pain that I felt… I never felt so weak before. I never want to feel it again."

Rin was touched that Sesshomaru would share such personal information with her. However, she was very hurt that Sesshomaru had another girl in his life before, and that he cared so much for her. Rin envied the girl so much, not knowing that it was actually her past self that Sesshomaru was referring to.

With the last amount of courage, Rin confessed, "I love you Sesshomaru-sama. Please give me a chance to change your view on love. I will heal your heart from the pain that the girl caused you to feel. Please, just give me a chance."

Before Rin could stop herself, she stepped up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on Sesshomaru's lips. Sesshomaru's eyes widened, but he didn't pull away. He just stood there unmoving, which Rin took as a sign to continue, so she deepened the kiss.

After a few seconds, Sesshomaru finally shoved her away, hard.

"In the end, is this all you amount to?" Sesshomaru said harshly.

Rin flinched at his words, and stared up at him with wide eyes.

"You aren't any better than Kagura. You are a slut, dressing in such revealing clothing and throwing yourself on men. You wear so much makeup to hide your real self and to get other boys' attentions. You fake being mute just to approach me, and then start talking after knowing me, just to show everyone that _I _was the one that helped you. You try so hard to make it seem like we are actually _friends_. But let me tell you, you mean nothing to me. To me, you are just another one of those attention whores that want to be with me for my money. You can never compare to the selfless, kind girl I once knew, for she helped me without expecting anything in return," Sesshomaru insulted Rin, his eyes flashing with anger. "She was my one and only girl."

With these words, Rin broke down again, sobbing harder than ever. She tried to deny his accusations, but it came out incoherently.

"Leave," Sesshomaru demanded.

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><p>Sesshomaru was in his room finishing his math homework while the party took place. He never joined in these parties; they were for the business owners to get to form acquaintances and find opportunities to partner up or merge with other companies to ascend to the top. However, unlike all the others, the Takahashi's company were already at the top, and by joining with the Kihara's company, they would be unbeatable. Sesshomaru's life of power and wealth was already set, so spending time getting to know the other owners was simply a waste of his time.<p>

Ever since he saved Rin from Naraku and his group, Sesshomaru had been keeping a close watch on her to see who had set Rin up.

He thought back to that day in the alley…

_Naraku's gang had surrounded Sesshomaru and was closing in on him, just like last time. However, this time Sesshomaru was much bigger and stronger. He easily beat up the entire gang and walked towards Naraku, whom was hiding behind the other._

_Naraku, the one that dislocated Sesshomaru's shoulder and made him look weak, the same man who killed Lynn and her family. Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles, thirsty for revenge._

"_Do not think you pathetic fools can stop me," Sesshomaru growled as he approached Naraku._

_Naraku was clearly shocked at seeing Sesshomaru single-handedly defeat all his minions. He knew he was in serious trouble. He regretted not bringing his pistol. Turning, he ran towards to other end of the alley._

"_Fool! Don't think you can escape me!" Sesshomaru said icily, getting ready to give chase. His eyes blazed._

"_Rather than hunting me down," Naraku calmly said, "Shouldn't you go check on that little girl?"_

_For an instant, Sesshomaru hesitated. However, that hesitation was all Naraku and his gang needed to escape from his grasp. Upset that he let Naraku escape, Sesshomaru vowed that he would track him down another time. Meanwhile, he went to look for Rin._

Sesshomaru kept a close watch on Rin in order to find who set her up. Once he found the person that was working with Naraku, he would be able to find Naraku and give him what he deserves. However, Naraku must've warned the person to not try anything with Rin as Sesshomaru would be observing everyone's actions. And thus, Sesshomaru didn't have any leads on where Naraku was hiding.

Sesshomaru was secretly very pleased that Kagura stopped pestering him and Rin. He thought it was because Kagura finally realized that since they were engaged, it didn't matter which girl Sesshomaru spent his time with, because he was Kagura's in the end.

On the other hand, Sesshomaru found it strange that Rin began speaking only after meeting him. He didn't spend much time thinking about it though, and chose not to listen to the rumours that she pretended to be mute just to approach him. He gradually became more and more annoyed with Rin and her little antics... No, he didn't mind Rin's presence, nor when she tried to converse with him. He actually found it very amusing how hard the girl was trying to become his friend. However, he became annoyed with Rin when he noticed her putting on makeup and changing her style of dressing. She was transforming herself into another one of those sluts, like Kagura, at their school. And he didn't like it. When he saw boys hitting on Rin, he felt his chest hurt.

As he finished his math homework, he heard his bedroom door open. Turning around, he demanded, "What are you doing here?"

It was Rin. The blue dress she wore suited her perfectly, and she looked absolutely beautiful. Sesshomaru forced himself to stop thinking of Rin in that way.

Sesshomaru noticed that Rin was crying. She apologized and began talking in third person. Sesshomaru was quite amused by the way she spoke. He noticed that Rin didn't answer his question, so he repeated, "I'm only going to ask this once more. What are you doing here?"

"R-Rin wanted to get away from everyone downstairs. These parties don't suit Rin very much. Rin… Rin wanted to get some peace and quiet," Rin responded. "May Rin stay here for a while?"

Sesshomaru didn't mind her staying, but he chose not to respond. Rin didn't leave.

After a while, her sniffles died down. She asked, "Sesshomaru-sama, is it true that you are engaged to Kagura?"

Sesshomaru's eyes widened. He guessed that his father must've told Rin. Was that why she was crying? He responded casually while looking for Rin's reaction, "Yes. So what?"

Rin instantly shot back, "But you don't even like Kagura. Why would you agree to marry her?"

"This is not your concern," Sesshomaru responded coolly. However, he thought it was best for Rin to know his reasoning. "It benefits both our families and companies. Did you really think that I would marry for a silly thing like love? Foolish emotions like love and affection are meant for weaklings. I, Sesshomaru, care for no one."

Sesshomaru knew that his words hurt Rin, and he felt a pang of guilt. She said, "How would you know? You've never been in love before, so what makes you think such emotions are silly?"

Sesshomaru studied Rin. If he had truly never felt these emotions then he would realize that she had a point. However, Sesshomaru had once held affection for a girl, so he stuck to his belief that these emotions were for weaklings. Before he knew what he was doing, he found himself telling Rin about the girl, Lynn. However, he regretted telling Rin this because, before he knew it, Rin was confessing her love for him.

Sesshomaru had promised himself that Lynn would be the first and last person he would care for, so he knew he couldn't accept Rin's love for him.

As Rin reached up and kissed Sesshomaru, he didn't know how to respond, so he didn't move. He felt her deepening the kiss, but his mind wasn't on Rin. He was thinking about Lynn, and how Rin had asked to replace Lynn in his heart. This thought angered him. No one could replace his Lynn! She was his one and only!

Sesshomaru thought back to the way Rin began speaking again after meeting him. He remembered the way Rin began dressing, and how all the boys at their school began hitting on her. He realized that. He finally realized that this girl, Rin, was simply after him for his money, just like all the other girls that claimed to _love _him.

Quickly, Sesshomaru shoved Rin away from him. He accused her of being a slut and faking muteness to approach him. Finally, he told Rin that she couldn't even compare to Lynn.

Rin began sobbing uncontrollably, making Sesshomaru almost feel bad. But before he regretted it, he demanded for her to leave his room.

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><p>Sesshomaru was in a terrible mood for the rest of the weekend, although he didn't show it. He chose to take out his anger on Inuyasha, and poor Inuyasha did not dare do anything to anger Sesshomaru even more.<p>

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><p>On Monday morning, right before Sesshomaru and Inuyasha left for school, Taisho asked to have a word with Sesshomaru.<p>

"Sesshomaru," Taisho said. "Do you know Rin Higurashi?"

Sesshomaru's eyes widened. Why was his father suddenly bringing her up? She was the last person Sesshomaru wanted to think about right now.

"Why do you want to know?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I met her on Saturday. She is quite a lovely and smart girl," Taisho replied, watching his son intently.

"I don't care," Sesshomaru responded, walking away.

"Even if I told you that I did a background check on her and her family?" Taisho said, trying to get Sesshomaru's interest.

This seemed to work because Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks and waited for his father to make his intentions clear.

"Listen Sesshomaru, you must have noticed by now that Rin adores you deeply. She truly cares a lot about you," Taisho said. He waited for Sesshomaru to respond, but when Sesshomaru didn't, he continued, "She cares much more for you than you think and understand."

"What is your point?" Sesshomaru demanded. "I have Kagura. Merging our company with the Kihara's would bring me more power and wealth than any other company would. The Higurashi's company would not benefit me at all."

Taisho sighed, "Rin is far more capable than Kagura will ever be. You and Rin, the two top students in your classes, and perhaps the two top students in the entire school, would bring our company much further than Kagura would."

Sesshomaru didn't answer, so Taisho continued, "Rin is a brilliant child. She is only 15 years old and is in grade 11, taking several grade 12 classes, and is tied with you in terms of marks."

"I know all of this, Father," Sesshomaru replied.

"Did you know that Rin was mute since she was 9 years old? Yet, she was ranked number one in all her classes in her previous school, and played a significant role in helping the Higurashi's company reach where they are now," Taisho shot back.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes when he heard that Rin was truly mute before meeting him. He had accused her of pretending to be mute just to get closer to him. Trying to save his pride, he responded, "So what? Being mute doesn't have an effect on studies. I rarely talk anyways, and I have always been ranked number one in all of my classes. I have also helped our company a great deal."

"Aside from being mute," Taisho continued, "Rin had never gone to school before being adopted by the Higurashis. It is astounding how she managed to catch up in all the years of education she had missed. It's even more astounding how she managed to even skip a grade. Do not look down on her."

Sesshomaru was shocked. He asked his father, "Rin was adopted?"

But Taisho had already left the room.

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><p>Sesshomaru wanted to talk to her – not to apologize for his actions, but because she interested him. His pride would never allow him to apologize. However, Rin was avoiding him. She did not take her usual seat next to him. And when the lunch bell rang, Rin was the first to leave the class.<p>

Sesshomaru, for once, did not know what to do about her. He remembered that a month had passed, so Rin was no longer _under his care_.

"Where is Rin today?" Jaken wondered aloud. Usually Rin and Sesshomaru would both come to Sesshomaru's locker together, but today it was just Sesshomaru.

Even though he constantly told Rin that she was annoying, he had actually gotten quite attached to the girl, and was not used to her absence.

Sesshomaru did not answer as he walked away

_It feels strange without Rin, _Jaken thought. _It's definitely a lot quieter, but I miss her constant chatter and laughs. No! What am I thinking? I should be glad that Rin is finally gone!_

Jaken trailed after Sesshomaru, mentally debating whether or not Rin's absence was a good thing. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not notice Sesshomaru turn and walk in another direction. He kept walking straight wards until he hit the dead end of the hallway. He was brought back to reality when he heard a female yelling, and it sounded like Kagura.

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><p><strong>Response to anonymous reviewers...<strong>

**YwhyY: haha if I didn't write this story I'd be thinking, geez Sess is an idiot. I'm glad I made Taisho really awesome in my story, haha time to make him evil in another story :P Thank you so much for your support! :)**

**Jolie: Ohh thank you so much! Hehe Divine Rose is awesome :) (But she updates too slowly! :P haha Divine Rose if you see this... hope you'll update soon :P Your fans are waiting)**

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><p><strong>So, I think I'm gonna write one more chapter for this story, and then I'll be DONEE :D <strong>

**Don't forget to leave a review :)  
><strong>


	6. Discoveries

**Hello! **

**So as I said in my previous chapter, this is the last chapter to my story, not including the epilogue I decided to add :) **

**Thank you so much for all your support, and for making my first story very enjoyable to write!**

**Lynn**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha**

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><p><em>He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he did not notice Sesshomaru turn and walk in another direction. He kept walking straight wards until he hit the dead end of the hallway. He was brought back to reality when he heard a female yelling, and it sounded like Kagura.<em>

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

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><p>Peeking inside, Jaken saw that it was Kagura and Rin all alone inside the room. Jaken knew from personal experience that Kagura could get pretty nasty when someone crossed her, so he feared for Rin's safety. However, he also feared his own safety, so he didn't want to intrude.<p>

Immediately, he dialed Sesshomaru's cell phone number.

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><p>For the rest of the weekend Rin was in a terrible mood. Although Rin tried very hard to remain cheerful whenever the maid's spoke to her, or smile when her parents were around, everyone could tell that Rin was depressed. Her parents knew it had to do with Sesshomaru's engagement to Kagura, and knew that Rin was in love with the stoic heir of the Takahashi's company. This was the first time Rin had been so upset, so they didn't know what to do to cheer her up. The entire household was gloomy and quiet; it was the first time since last month that the house was not filled with chatter and laughter. Rin's parents hoped that on Monday Rin and Sesshomaru could resolve whatever conflict they were facing.<p>

On Monday, Rin tried her best to avoid Sesshomaru. She was far too embarrassed to even look at him. What he said about her contained some truths, as she knew it was true that she wore slightly more revealing clothing than she did before. So, Rin went back to wearing her original clothes, and did not put on any makeup. However, she was still very upset about Sesshomaru accusing her of pretending to be mute. Sure, she realized that it may seem that way, since she suddenly began talking after meeting him. But nonetheless, Rin was still very hurt because Sesshomaru thought so lowly of her. When she was a member of the low-class, who would expect that the handsome, wealthy, high-class Sesshomaru Takahashi would spend time with a low class peasant girl? No one. Now, after years of doing everything imaginable to change herself and become his equal, Sesshomaru still didn't pay any attention to her. However, even now, Rin still couldn't let go of Sesshomaru; he was her one and only love, and she doubted she would ever fall in love again. He thought so lowly of her that Rin really couldn't bear facing him. That was why she avoided him. Gone was the girl that never stopped chattering and following him like a shadow.

Oh, but she missed him so terribly. Although they rarely talked when they were together, Rin still felt satisfied just being around him. _Love hurts_, Rin thought miserably. _I feel so weak._

When lunch came, Rin couldn't bear to be in the same classroom as Sesshomaru any moment longer. She sprinted out of the room as soon as the bell rang, only to bump into Kagura on the way to her locker.

"So you've _finally _stopped following him," Kagura seethed. "I could never do anything to you when he was around. But now that you two are separated, at last I can put you in your place!"

The hallway was empty, and Rin was scared.

"No!" Rin screamed as Kagura dragged her down the hall to the furthest classroom. "You let me go Kagura!

Kagura shoved Rin into the classroom and closed the door. Then, she turned and glared at Rin, "I warned you to stay away from Sesshomaru! And what did you do? You stuck to him like glue!"

Rin wasn't in the mood to argue with Kagura, so she didn't answer.

"Do not ignore me, wench!" Kagura screamed, getting ready to strike Rin.

"Why does it matter?" Rin replied weakly. She lost all will to fight for Sesshomaru. "You two are engaged. Sesshomaru-sama would never give you up for me. You've already won."

"Then stay away from him!" Kagura smirked. "Know your place! You are nothing but a lowly wench! It was Sesshomaru's misfortune to be stuck with you for a month! Never talk to him again, or else you'll regret it!"

Rin nodded robotically. She knew Sesshomaru didn't want her around anyway. Turning around to leave, Rin gave Kagura one last glance.

At that moment, as she looked up at Kagura's face, her eyes rested on something that she hadn't seen in such a long time. Kagura was wearing Rin's mother's Shikon Jewel pendant. Suddenly, as if a switch inside her turned on, Rin became angry.

"Why do you have the Shikon Jewel, my mother's pendant? It belongs to me!" Rin demanded.

Kagura, shocked by Rin's sudden outburst, clutched the Shikon Jewel tightly. She replied, "You dirty liar! This pendant is the only one of its kind in the world! My family would never associate with you lowly Higurashis, so it couldn't possibly be your mother's!"

"It is my mother's pendant! Give it back to me!" Rin cried hysterically. "Return it to me! It was our family's only valuable possession! Please give it back to me!"

Kagura was bewildered. Who was this girl to make such unreasonable declarations? The Higurashi's couldn't possibly own the treasure that Naraku stole. This girl was lying!

"For your information," Kagura revealed, "Naraku stole this pendant from a low peasant family back in his hometown. You Higurashis couldn't possibly have owned it before, unless the family Naraku stole it from first stole it from your family. Whatever, it doesn't matter. This is mine now."

Neither Kagura nor Rin knew that Sesshomaru and Jaken were outside the classroom and had heard everything.

In just three days, Sesshomaru learned more about Rin than he learned all month. Rin was obviously talking about her real mother, whom had owned the Shikon Jewel, and she used to be from the low-class. Also, if Naraku stole the pendant back from his hometown, it meant Rin was also from the same hometown. His father's words entered his mind, _"Did you know that Rin was mute since she was 9 years old?"_ That would have been 6 years ago, the same time Sesshomaru was informed that there was only one survivor from the massacre. Rin must've been the one.

Sesshomaru had a newfound respect for Rin. The little young girl had suffered through so much, yet was still so innocent, cheerful, smart, caring – perfect. He thought she was very strong. His admiration for Rin, by now, far surpassed the admiration he held towards Lynn. He felt very guilty for making Rin cry.

Although Sesshomaru was sure that his deductions were correct, he had to have concrete proof before making his next move. He rushed home to see the documents his father had gathered on Rin, the fact that Kagura was the one working with Naraku completely slipping his mind.

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><p>Meanwhile, Rin and Kagura began fighting, making Jaken worried.<p>

_What should I do? _Jaken thought. _Why did Sesshomaru have to leave right before they started fighting?_

If Rin and Kagura fought, Rin would be the one injured. Jaken debated with himself. Should he help Rin and risk getting hurt himself? Or should he leave and pretend he didn't see anything? Eventually, Jaken decided to risk himself to protect Rin. After all, the way Sesshomaru dashed to the classroom after receiving his phone call made it obvious that Sesshomaru would beat him up if he let anything bad happen to Rin.

Taking a breath, Jaken mustered up all his courage and pushed open the door.

"Alright girls! No more fighting!" he said as bravely as he could.

Rin and Kagura spotted and looked at him for a moment before resuming their fight.

"Stop it!" Jaken squawked. "Stop it now! Sesshomaru will come back any moment, and he won't be pleased."

This caught the girls' attentions. Rin immediately stopped because she did not want Sesshomaru to think any lower of her. Kagura stopped because Jaken's words frightened her.

"What exactly do you mean that 'Sesshomaru will come back'?" Kagura demanded. "Was he here a few minutes ago?"

Jaken gulped nervously, "T-That's right! He was here!"

"So he heard everything we said?" Kagura said dangerously.

Jaken did not sense the danger in her words, and responded honestly, "That's correct! He left immediately after hearing your argument."

Kagura pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

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><p>When Sesshomaru got home, he ignored all the servants and maids that were asking him why he was back so early. He was going to his father's office to find all the information he had on Rin. Luckily, Sesshomaru was a skilled hacker, and could easily log onto his father's computer. However, he was very surprised to see Rin's documents lying on the floor at the entrance, as if it were placed there just for him.<p>

He immediately began flipping through Rin's documents. And when he saw a picture of Rin at age eight, he gasped. Rin was Lynn!

Sesshomaru sprinted back to school, finally aware of the truth and the potential danger Rin was in. When he arrived at school, he realized he was too late. Jaken informed him that Rin had been abducted by Kagura.

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><p>Sesshomaru received a call from Naraku asking him to go to the alley all alone if he cared about the girl's well-being. He knew that Naraku was using Rin to get to him, and this hurt his pride a lot. However, it did not hurt nearly as much as his heart when he thought about Rin being hurt.<p>

"Don't go," Jaken pleaded. "This is a trap to get you."

Sesshomaru did not answer as he continued to walk towards the alley.

"Please don't go," Jaken begged.

"Stay here Jaken," Sesshomaru finally responded.

Jaken sniffed, "B-but what about you?"

"Don't doubt me."

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><p>When Sesshomaru went into the alley, he was surprised to see that Naraku hadn't brought a huge group of people with him. It was only Kagura and Naraku, both of them holding knives. Rin was lying unconscious on the ground.<p>

"Sesshomaru, we meet again," Naraku smiled evilly. "Why is it that every time we meet, we are in an alley?"

Sesshomaru glared at him. "Let Rin go."

"I think not," Naraku laughed. "I enjoy watching my victims suffer before killing them. You get to choose between getting hurt yourself or watching this little girl getting hurt. But of course, in the end you both will die."

Sesshomaru ignored him and turned to Kagura, "Why did you betray me?"

Kagura's usual confident face faltered as she stammered, "W-well, you were cheating on me."

Naraku laughed, "You didn't know that Kagura was my little accomplice, did you? How else do you think that a low-class peasant could have become a mafia leader? Kagura supplied me with all the money I needed to do so, and in exchange, I dealt with all the girls that she thought was getting close to you. Of course, after the first time I raped a girl, I had blackmail on Kagura. She couldn't possibly betray me without getting in trouble herself."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes, waiting for Naraku to land blows on him. He would rather get hurt than let Rin feel any more pain. His pride meant nothing if it meant losing Rin. Nothing could be worth the life of Rin.

Naraku drove his knife into Sesshomaru, and Sesshomaru grimaced in pain. Yet he couldn't do anything because Kagura held a knife next to Rin's throat.

Naraku laughed at Sesshomaru's pain, and was about to stab Sesshomaru again when he suddenly dropped to the floor – Kagura had stabbed him in the back.

"You traitor," Naraku grimaced.

"If there was something I wanted most in the world," Kagura explained, "It was freedom. I felt like a slave as you blackmailed me repeatedly to constantly supply you with money. If I knew you would blackmail me, I would never have turned to you for help when I was jealous of the girls that talked to Sesshomaru. Besides, I truly do love and care about Sesshomaru that I would sacrifice myself for him. It is not something someone like you would understand."

Turning to Sesshomaru, Kagura whispered, "I'm very sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I didn't know that Naraku would try to kill you as well as Rin. I've told Rin many times that she didn't deserve you, but truthfully, I'm the one that doesn't deserve you. Please forgive me for everything."

Sesshomaru nodded. Even though Kagura had betrayed him and almost got Rin killed, she had redeemed herself in the end.

From afar, Sesshomaru heard the police siren wailing. He slowly made his way over to Rin and touched her cheek. Rin's eyes fluttered open as soon as contact was made, and her face broke into a huge grin.

She placed her hand on his hand and whispered, "Sesshomaru-sama, is it really you? Or am I dreaming again?"

Sesshomaru, for the first time, smiled. "Yes, it is me, Rin."

Rin asked, "But what about Kagura and Naraku? They –"

"Everything is alright now, Rin. Do not worry," Sesshomaru interrupted as he ran his fingers in Rin's hair.

Rin said, "I'm sorry Sesshomaru-sama for Saturday night. I –"

"Don't apologize Rin. Or should I say Lynn," Sesshomaru interrupted again.

Rin's eyes widened as she realized that Sesshomaru knew that she was the same girl that he had met several years ago.

"I never bade you good bye that day we met," Sesshomaru confessed. "However, I'm very glad I didn't, because it seems like we were destined to meet again."

Sesshomaru held Rin close to his chest and whispered, "You were my one and only, ever since the time we met. We'll never be separated again."

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><p><strong>Response to anonymous reviewers...<strong>

**YwhyY: Nah Taisho won't be evil here, he'll be evil in a future story I write LOL. Haha yes Sess fell for Rin again, shows they're meant to be together :D Np, I often leave anonymous reviews as well, under the name Lynn lol :) **

**Jolie: Hehe I think I made up for hurting Rin in this chapter, right? :D Oh Taisho sure has played a large role in helping Sesshomaru LOL :P Thank you very much!**


	7. Epilogue

Epilogue

Kagura confessed all her crimes and was placed in prison. She also betrayed the entire mafia to the police, and the mafia no longer existed.

The Higurashi's were extremely pleased with the way everything turned out.

Izayoi was very happy that Sesshomaru had finally found love. Taisho was glad that Sesshomaru had looked into the documents left for him because he knew, from the moment that he completed the background check on Rin, that Sesshomaru knew Rin in the past. He was satisfied in knowing that his company, merged with the Higurashi's, would be in very capable hands.

As for Sesshomaru and Rin, it was fate that the two unlikely couple separated by social class ended up together.

THE END!


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